Skylanders: Adventures Retold--SSA
by lucarioknight56
Summary: Based on the game 'Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure', trouble is afoot in Skylands! The Dark Portal Master Kaos has destroyed the Core of Light, and only a fourteen-year-old named Kade can stop him. He is brought to Skylands by the Portal of Power, and with the team of Skylanders within, he will rebuild the Core of Light, and drive Kaos from the light of Skylands!
1. Prologue: Welcome to Skylands!

In the suburban neighborhood of Sky Heights, a young teen walked on the sidewalk. Trimmed trees and manicured lawns were to his left, white picket fences marking the boundary of public and private, sprinklers drizzling life-giving water to the decorative greens. To his right, a massive roadway with no traffic baked under the hot summer sun, cars lined alongside for the overcrowded house past it. To his back, the road connected to a highway, the unceasing traffic making this peaceful neighborhood a bit too loud for it to be lazy. Past the highway was a small graveyard, for the inhabitant who wanted their late loved ones to be more closely remembered. In front of him, the road formed a crossroad, the strange circle in the center rumored to belong a secret cult that nobody believed in. Above, the sky was clear, for all except a few puffy white clouds. Around, white rectangular houses, all identical except for lawn ornaments and address numbers, popped up alongside the roadway. Below, pipes and various other modern convenience systems stretched through the ground, hindrances for the moles and worms that so loved the subterranean world.

The fourteen-year-old appeared to be no more than the average youth. He wore long jeans, a brown pair of sturdy shoes, a grey t-shirt, and a blue hoodie, things generally not seen as 'summer clothes'. Around his neck was a pair of black headphones, and on his back was a weighty backpack, the final remnants of a completed school year. He had medium-long brown hair, which some may consider in need of a haircut, and had light-blue eyes that looked lazily to the left and right, seeing the sight he had grown used to after ten years. On his right wrist was a black watch, the face showing 1:23 PM, three minutes after his last bus arrived on the highway. He stood around six feet, tall, but not so tall. Completely average for the neighborhood of Sky Heights.

He turned the corner, kicking the fire hydrant that has never been used. He tapped the mailboxes one by one, stopping at number 167, his family home since ten years prior. He sighed, seeing an empty driveway, lawn, and roof, exactly as when he moved here. He stepped up the stairs, opening the door and closing it with a kick, knowing that he wouldn't be reprimanded if he did. The entry held no more than a mirror to the right, and a rack for shoes and a coat rack to the left. He dumped his backpack on the ground next to it, choosing to be lazy and comfortable and leaving his shoes and hoodie on.

In the next room, the living room lay sparse and tidy, with a set of couches, a television, a decade-old game console that everyone had, and a hallway that lead to three bedrooms, a bathroom, a laundry room, a kitchen, and the garage. He didn't care for the laundry room; those were his family's areas. The garage and one of the bedrooms were exclusively for mom and dad; no irresponsible fourteen-year-old should be there. The solace of the bathroom was unneeded right then, and the thought of entering his six-year-old sister's room sent shivers down his spine. He entered the kitchen, for a light snack and a thought alone.

The kitchen held all the necessities of modern life: A stove, microwave, refrigerator, table, four chairs, pantry, and food enough for three days. He entered the pantry, the white and silver of the room and appliances making him wish for a splash of blue. He saw a variety of factory-made products, the all-natural stuff considered 'too expensive' for his parents to bother. He took an apple, chomping a bite out of it, leaving the pantry. He passed the table, seeing a note to himself:

 _Kade,_

 _Your dad's at work, and I'm with Katie at her dance practice. We should all be back around 4:30. Be good!_

 _Mom_

 _PS: Don't think that because it's summer you can play games all day. Try playing outside; I got a soccer ball for you!_

Kade groaned, ignoring the note. The backyard had an overdone fireplace and patio, which he knew had a wrapped up soccer ball just waiting for its uncaring owner to use. The fence made the yard too small to bother, and the dwarfed tree provided no shade to hide from the overbearing sun.

He took another bite from his apple, walking through the high-property-value home to the one place he could be himself: his room. He opened the door with a sign that said, 'Kade's Room', then shut it behind him, leaving his parent's world behind.

He sat on his bed, continuing to eat his apple. A computer lay to his left, old and in need of replacement, and scattered around it were various figurines from the games and movies he loved. To the right of the desk was a trash can, overflowing with various notes and gift cards for new sports-related accessories. Next to that was his dresser, kempt and clean, with more of his figurines and a more advanced game system capable of playing games on the go. In the corner, a laundry basket full of used clothes sat, and in between the dresser and basket was a small closet for games, figures, and various other belongings.

Kade finished eating the apple, tossing the core into the trashcan. He stood up, sitting at his computer and typing his password. He checked his email, seeing a deluge of sports related ads, all forwarded from his parents. He deleted them, business as usual, and proceeded to click on an image for his beloved fantasy games, plugging his headphones into the audio port.

He just started playing when he felt a rumble. He ignored it, thinking it was just the garbage truck passing by. Then he remembered that garbage day wasn't until tomorrow. The rumble shook the house again, and he decided to better look outside to see what was happening.

He exited his room, leaving his headphones behind, going into the backyard, looking to the sky. He squinted, thinking that he saw a light descending from the heavens. It drew closer, seeming to fall right towards him. His eyes widened, and he dashed into the house, shutting the screen door behind him. The light shot towards the ground, and with a flash of light, made contact. Kade looked away, protecting his vision.

After a few moments, he opened his eyes, the light gone. He looked back outside, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. He opened the door again, walking outside to see what the light was. He sifted through the lawn, finding nothing, and almost shrugged the entire thing off, marching toward the door. He saw a pulse of light in the corner of his vision, coming from the patio table.

He slowly turned toward it, seeing an unusual sight. On the glassy surface was a stout cylinder, made from ancient stone. Runes decorated the sides, and the top of the cylinder was a swirling white surface, gently pulsing with many colors. It was little bigger than his hand, and attached to it was a leather, which he figured was to secure it to a loop.

He sat on the patio chair, studying the cylinder. "Looks like some sort of portal…" He said to himself, tapping the sides. He tapped on one of the runes, and the portal glowed a bright blue.

" _Portal Activated. State your name."_ It said, the white surface reverberating with each syllable, with a voice that wasn't quite feminine or masculine. Kade looked at it bewildered. Figuring that nothing wrong would happen, he complied.

"Kade. Kade Orisson." The Portal glowed once more, shifting to orange.

 _"Name accepted. Teleportation Function initiated. Destination: Galewind Village."_ It stated, the orange light forming into rings. The rings hovered around Kade, a clear bubble forming within them. He stood up, panicked, wondering what it meant by 'teleportation function'.

He tried stepping out of the bubble, but was promptly shocked by whatever energy the object was using. "Let me out! Cancel this…teleportation function!" He exclaimed, hoping he said the right words. The portal flashed red, with an annoying beep of denial.

" _Access denied by Portal Master Eon. Teleportation to Skylands Initiated."_ It stated, the rings moving vertically along Kade. The portal floated into the ring, into Kade's hands. He began to rise into the air, the bubble around him keeping him suspended. He then zoomed into the sky, a pulse of light rising into the heavens. With a yell of dismay, he exited Earth's atmosphere, rocketing through space. The portal glowed once more, a hole in space forming in front of him. He entered the swirling vortex, blue gases circling around him, a vast tunnel yawning in front of him.

The portal hovered in front of him, glowing a bright blue. From it, a holographic head of a bearded man came from it. He had a long white beard, and he had large blue eyes, with a large rectangular nose. He wore a horned silver helmet, with a sapphire set near his forehead. His face was wrinkled with age, but his eyes held a youthful and wise gleam.

Continuing to hurtle through this tunnel, Kade could only listen to this mysterious old man. "Congratulations, Portal Master! You have discovered the Portal of Power, and you are now on your way to the home of this mysterious object: Skylands!" To his right, images of a sky filled with floating islands, covered with trees, homes and sheep, with balloons and other aircraft zooming in between. Furry brown creatures sat with each other, talking, and others ran around, playing with each other.

The image faded, and the old man continued to speak. "You have come at a most desperate time, Portal Master. I, Master Eon, can no longer protect this vast realm, and I leave this task with you."

Kade suddenly exclaimed, "I can't protect this place! I'm a kid from Skyview who just barely passed 8th Grade! What's so special about me?" The man ignored him, not even flinching at his outburst. Kade figured it was a recording, given the fact that he was holographic.

"At this point in time, I cannot communicate with you. But let me tell you how I came into this state, of how the Core of Light was destroyed, and the Skylanders were sent to you." He stated. Another island came into vision, covered with green domes, with a large tower standing high above them all. The largest of the domes had a beam of pure white light erupting from it, and next to that was a stone circle, decorated with eight different runes: A swirl, a leaf, a skull, a mountain, a flame, a droplet, a compass, and a gear.

"What you see is my citadel, or what it once was that is. This place holds the Core of Light, the key in holding back The Darkness, an evil entity that seeks to cloud all of Skylands with eternal darkness. His chief agent is the most persistent, most evil, and most despicable being in Skylands: Kaos."

The image shifted to a dark castle, build with black stone with veins of blue. Red scales covered the turrets and roof of the castle, and beneath it, for jets of blue flame held it in the air. The image zoomed in on a figure clad in black robes, holding his fists high in the air. He was completely bald, and was far shorter than anybody Kade had seen. On his forehead was a blue symbol made with six points, and around his crimson eyes were black tattoos. His mouth had perfectly straight teeth on the top, but only three pointed teeth on the bottom. He laughed manically, and despite his ridiculous appearance, he had an aura of evil about him.

"Kaos is a Dark Portal Master, and he sought to spread the reign of The Darkness beyond the Outlands. The one thing preventing this goal was the Core of Light, and as my strength failed, so did my citadel's. Do not think it was completely defenseless however; I commanded an elite team of heroes, guardians of Skylands and the Core of Light: The Skylanders." The image returned to the citadel, where around the stone circle, a cacophony of different creatures appeared in a flash of multicolored lights. There were many dragons, an ent, several elves, an orc, a fish-man, among many others. They were 32 in total, and they all assumed battle positions as Kao's dark castle emerged from the distance, a dark smog surrounding it. A massive projection similar to Eon's shone from the castle, showing a hooded being with sharp features, looking like a more malicious version of Kaos.

He laughed once more, the black smog streaming to the ground. On contact, creatures made from crystal-like material came. Cyclopes, Drow, pirates; many creatures came to assault the Citadel, all bearing the same staring eyes.

"The Skylanders fought valiantly, driving off their mortal enemy with relative ease." A four-armed gorilla punched away a cyclops, an overgrown grub slurped up a troll, a living suit of armor stabbed through a pirate. Kaos stood no chance.

"Kaos was no fool, however. He had a weapon on his side, a weapon from ancient times: The Hydra." A four-headed shape spewed from the castle, the necks intertwined at a single golden body. One head was a skeleton, another a poisonous lizard, one a sea serpent, and the final a molten salamander. The four combined their powers, forming a single dark laser, taking direct aim at the core. The solemn figure of Eon, standing at the top of the tower, was caught in the blast. The Skylanders were surrounded by orange bands of light, as Kade was from Earth, and a beam of light erupted from the tower.

"In my final moments among the living, I commanded my Portal to go to a worthy Portal Master. The Skylanders were sent along the very pathway you travel towards Earth, Kaos' form of banishment. My portal managed to secure them all on its journey here, and you have the ability to bring them back." The Portal showcased a slideshow of the different Skylanders, changing their color of light depending on their alignment. Kade gazed in wonder, as the thought of using the Portal grew in his mind.

"Unfortunately, the Skylanders cannot all be brought back at once. Kaos and his Hydra patrol Skylands, and any significant movement would jeopardize you and the Portal. As the true owner of the Portal of Power, I have limited you to bringing only one Skylander on any mission. What more, you must summon every Skylander before the end of your time here; we must make sure they weren't injured on their way to you." Eon explained. At the mention of a mission, Kade jerked, his fingers zapping on the energy rings.

After a few moments of rubbing his injured digits, he exclaimed, "What mission! I don't want to be stuck here! What about my parents, or my friends?" Eon stared blankly ahead, the project unhearing.

As if he knew what was expected, Eon said, "Do not worry young Portal Master; the Portal has the ability to transcend space and time, if used properly. When you fulfill your mission, the lock on the teleportation function will lift, and you will return to Earth at the time you left." Kade felt a sinking feeling in his stomach as he thought of how long he might have to stay in this strange land.

Eon smiled warmly, saying, "Do not fear. Skylands may have its perils, but the Skylanders are strong, and my assistant, Hugo, and his friends will help you. The Portal also has many uses, after my years of upgrading it to help protect Skylands. Use it well." The Portal hovered in front of Kade, the pulsing beginning to end. The swirling of the vortex around him began to slow, and a light began to appear at the end of the tunnel.

Kade looked at the Portal, Eon's hologram disappearing. With a final sigh, it said, "Restore the Core of Light, and the lock will lift. Hugo shall tell you the rest. Good luck young Portal Master." Eon disappeared, and the Portal glowed with many colors, gradually shifting into each one.

Kade studied the portal and the ending vortex, wondering what would happen. He would be stuck in an all-new world, with only this Hugo character and whatever Skylander he chooses. He didn't do all that well in P.E. in school, so he doubted he could fight off whoever would there.

He sighed, taking the Portal. It shifted to a light-blue, and the holograms of a unicorn dragon, a sharp-spined turtle, a clouded titan, and a large griffin appeared. The portal said in its monotone voice, " _Current Element: Air. Eternal Source must be collected before selection can change."_ Kade figured it was because of Eon's direction to use each of the Skylanders, but what were these Eternal Sources.

The exit of the tunnel approached quickly, and Kade made his selection. The Portal shone with light-blue light, and Kade, the Portal of Power, and his selected Skylander, were now in Skylands.


	2. Shattered Island

Kade appeared in the vast tracts of the open sky, orange surrounding him everywhere he saw. Clouds floated in diverse places, casting shadows on the islands beneath them. A group of islands just ahead of him had many wooden buildings on top of it, with a small castle set in the center. Balloons floated away from it, their passengers desperately escaping from the raging tornado that drew near their home.

The bubble surrounding Kade dissipated, leaving him with only clouds beneath him. He began to fall down the eternal sky, screaming his way down. The Portal fell alongside him, the light-blue light growing stronger. A whir sounded from within, and it exploded with light.

 _ **"Full Scream Ahead!"**_

From the Portal a black griffin shot forth, the swirling white surface rippling. She screeched loudly, swooping downward, going underneath Kade. She held out her wings, catching Kade and flapping toward the village, the Portal of Power's leather cord hanging off the Portal Master's wrist.

Kade clutched the griffin's neck tightly, desperately wishing to not fall. He opened his eyes, seeing that he was on the back of the griffin, carrying him with little issue. She flapped her wings once more, swooping down. Kade cried out in fear, clutching the griffin's neck tightly. She screeched hoarsely, dropping for a moment.

She shook off his arms and said, "Don't hold me with that iron grip you have there, young one! Do you _want_ us to go down?" She turned her head, looking back at the Portal Master. Her green eyes pierced right into his, a reprimanding look. He scooted slightly away from the griffin's neck, the Portal bumping against his hip.

She looked down at the Portal, making a screech of delight. "How lovely! _You're_ the Portal Master that Master Eon was hoping to find. I'll tell you, that Portal of his is very mysterious, keeping me and the other—" She stopped, seeing that Kade was constantly looking downward, clutching her sides desperately. She turned her head back to the village, saying, "Sorry about how I acted earlier. I can understand that you being from somewhere that only has earth below you can make this place a bit…scary. Don't worry though, I'm an expert flyer!" She stretched her paws out, the ground of Galewind Village growing closer. "My name's is Sonic Boom, and I'd _love_ for you to meet my little darlings!" She cheerfully exclaimed. She turned her head back again, her eyes full of motherly compassion. "What's your name Portal Master?"

Kade secured himself on her back once more, replying, "My name's Kade. How close are we to the ground?" He thought he could feel himself slipping down Sonic Boom's back, the whipping lion tail growing fearfully close.

Sonic Boom looked down, seeing an island connected by a bridge below. He saw a mole-like creature wearing a green vest and glasses sitting in front of a balloon, reading from a large book. Inside the basket of the yellow balloon was a yellow cat-like figure wearing an aeronautical jumpsuit and helmet, posing with his arms and saying 'Boom' constantly.

Sonic Boom said, "We're nearly there, Master Kade! Friends are waiting for us down below!" She dove downward, causing Kade to slip toward her neck, grabbing her back to make sure he didn't land there.

The mole looked up, seeing the dark feathers of a familiar Skylander. He gasped, putting the book back in his hood, scrambling towards the cat. He grabbed his arm and exclaimed, "Flynn, Sonic Boom's here! The Portal must've made it to Earth!" Flynn took his arm back, throwing back his red scarf.

He dusted himself of and said, "It's no doubt thanks to my awesomeness that the Portal made it to Earth, Hugo, and I helped them out by saying 'Boom!' thirty-two times in a row. You're welcome! Boom!" He thrust out his arms, winking at Hugo. Hugo sighed, setting his face into his palm.

"What does saying 'Boom' have to do with anything? Nothing exploded or anything." He said. Flynn crossed his arms, grinning stupidly.

"But Sonic ' _Boom'_ appeared after I said my thirty-second _'Boom'_. Right?" He asked. Hugo groaned, looking back at the sky. Sonic Boom drew closer, her human cargo in tow. He squinted his eyes, seeing Sonic Boom was now having trouble with the young Portal Master. He dove into the balloon, quickly pulling up the gate of the basket.

"Get this thing in the air! Those guys are coming in hot!" Hugo cried. Flynn grinned, pulling on the rope. The balloon slowly rose into the air, leaving the little island free for the incoming Skylander.

Sonic Boom screeched loudly, a sonic wave echoing from her mouth. The wave hit the balloon, blowing back Flynn and Hugo. The balloon spun round and round, driving them away.

Flynn held tight to the balloon, laughing. "This is like the spinning-cup ride from that carnival! Yahoo!" Hugo agreed wholeheartedly, turning greener than his vest from the motion.

Sonic Boom landed on the island, skidding on the ground, allowing Kade to flop on top of it, hugging tight to the levitating earth. Sonic Boom tucked back her wings, looking at the swirling tornado that towered into the sky.

She ruffled her feathers, shivering at the sight. "My oh my, tornadoes like that don't come around every day. So close to a village too! Oh Portal Master, we have to-' She stopped, seeing Kade huddled in a ball, saying things to himself.

"This is only a dream, only a dream, that's right…" He said, shutting his eyes tightly. Sonic Boom sighed, pawing the ground mindfully. She squawked, remembering what Eon's projection said to her while inside the Portal. Her silver leg bands glowed, and the Portal attached to Kade's wrist glowed with white light. She leapt into the air, and brown egg flew through the sky, landing right in front of Kade. It cracked open, a tiny griffin popping out of it.

It jumped on top of Kade's head leading him to pen his eyes and look up. The chick squawked, biting hi ear. "Gah! Let go!" Kade cried, leaping upright. The griffin released its hold, flapping into the air. It squawked again, flying to its mother, who tucked it under her wing.

"Isn't he just adorable! Oh, if I could just have them like that forever!" Sonic Boom sighed, fluttering her eyes. Kade rubbed his ear, hoping that the chick didn't break skin.

Kade replied, "They'll be downright terrors when they get older." Sonic Boom stopped swooning, her eyes saddening. The chick chirped, hugging tightly to his mother.

"That's how I'd like it to be, but sadly my three little ones were cursed by an ancient wizard. After a few minutes, they return to their shells, to hatch again in an unending cycle." She sighed. Kade stopped rubbing his ear, sorry for the mother griffin. Seeing his sympathetic expression, Sonic Boom added, "It's been years since that happened, and I've grown used to it. I try not to dwell on it too much." She looked to the sky, seeing the descending balloon of Flynn and Hugo.

Flynn waved his hand, exclaiming, "Hellooo down there! You miss me?" Sonic Boom rolled her eyes sighing in annoyance.

"Yes Flynn, it's nice to see you after being stuck in Eon's Portal. Is Hugo with you?" She asked. Hugo's face poked above the basket, the transport too tall to look over properly.

"I'm here. I'm here!" He cried, jumping. He stopped doing so, exclaiming, "The new Portal Master's with you, right?" The balloon landed on the ground, and the basket's exit lowered. Flynn and Hugo ran over to Kade, the teen standing at least a foot above them.

Flynn whistled, crossing his arms. "Pretty tall ain't he, just like old Eon. He was pretty awesome with his beard and all, but my awesomeness can beat his any day." The griffin chick flew from his mother towards Flynn, pecking him rapidly on the head. Flynn covered his skull, exclaiming, "Hey, I never said anything about _you_!"

Kade stood next to Hugo, seeing how comparatively short he was. Hugo stood a little above his waist, the books in his hood being the size of a standard work from Earth. Flynn stood slightly taller, standing to around Kade's chest.

Hugo took Kade's hand and shook it graciously, exclaiming, "Oh thank goodness Eon's plan worked! We were waiting for you here since the Citadel-"

"Holy mackerel! Look at the size of that twister!" Flynn yelled, pointing at the swirling vortex, the griffin chick stopping his assault. The emptied village stood in the way of the massive tornado, wood and stone being torn from the vacant island. Sheep could be seen within, flying into the distant skies.

A stone the size of an orange flew past Kade's ear, narrowly missing the young Portal Master. He cringed, exclaiming, "We have to get out of here!"

Flynn ran to the balloon, looking at the tornado. He laughed half-heartedly, saying, "While I'd love to say 'Boom' and be off, I'm afraid that's a no-can-do. If I try drifting off without any sort of propeller, the balloon will just go into that thing like an enchilada into my mouth." He mimed eating the food whole, shaking his head. "While I am a legend, I'd rather be a _living_ legend than not."

Sonic Boom screeched with indignation, ruffling her feathers. "I can't fly all of you out of here either; Kade was a bit much, and having you two along wouldn't make anything any easier. There has to be another way." Kade looked into the tornado, considering his options. Eon's restrictions prevented him from summoning more Skylanders, so he couldn't do that. The balloon would drift away, Sonic Boom could lift them, and there was no way they could wait the tornado out.

He groaned, bringing his hands to is face. The Portal smacked against his chin, the rough stone surface scraping his skin. He lowered his arms, studying the Portal, the runes surrounding it glowing all-different colors. He saw the leather strap connected to the Portal, seeing a metal piece that kept two pieces of leather together.

He held the Portal in both his hands, then with one he pulled away the connecting joint. The Portal glowed a rich green, stating, _"Transport mode deactivated. Returning to normal size."_ It began to grow in his hands, going from roughly half a foot in diameter to a foot, then two feet, eventually growing too heavy to carry.

His three companions saw the growing Portal, stepping away from Kade. The Portal Master dropped the Portal, the stone relic continually increasing in size.

As it grew, Hugo noted, "That's right! Eon wanted a Portal he could easily go where he went, so he made it shrink and grow!" Flynn grinned, pulling the basket of the balloon towards the cylinder.

"And that's our ticket out of here! Boom!" He clambered on top of it, setting the basket on top of the swirling white surface. Hugo came up next to it, attempting to pull himself up, his little legs flailing beneath him. Flynn pulled him up by his hood, the Portal stopping its growth at four feet high and ten feet across.

Kade knelt next to the device, a rune pulsing with blue in front of him. He figured that the Portal could transport other things but how? He didn't know anything about Portals outside of how to select a Skylander, and that very well couldn't apply here.

Flynn cringed and cried out, "Hurry up with the magic, that twister's going to tear us apart!" The winds picked up as the tornado grew closer, the great stones of the small castle within the village pulled away as easily as wooden blocks.

Kade sheepishly said, "I'm, uh, sort of new at this, so I don't really know how to use the Portal." Sonic Boom crouched next to him, her griffinlet sitting on top of her head.

"I saw Eon do this dozens of times. Just call out the place you want to bring them to, and poof! They'll be swept away there." She stated. She held up a claw and added, "Don't forget that you can't use the Portal on yourself; another Portal Master would have to activate the Portal for you, or else all sorts of bad stuff could happen."

Kade looked to her and asked, "And... how many Portal Masters are there left?"

Sonic Boom flapped her wings and said, "Oh, just you and Kaos really. Eon passed away after the Hydra attack, and all the others were lost in a bygone age." She looked at the tornado and screeched, exclaiming, "Well, hurry it up! I can fly you out of here! Just bring them to Eon's Citadel!"

Kade, unsure of what else to do, set his hand on the rune and exclaimed, "To Eon's Citadel!" The Portal flashed with white light, and Hugo and Flynn were surrounded with Portal Energy. A hole began to form below them, and in an explosion of light, the two were gone, and the balloon with it.

Kade felt a surge of energy from the Portal, then began to laugh. He never realized that he could control such a power before now, and he thought of what wonderful things could be done with this Portal.

Sonic Boom squawked worryingly, the griffinlet closing its eyes, popping back into an egg. It rolled down her head, her paws catching it before it fell. She sighed, setting it on top of the Portal, the surface rippling as it fell into the abyss. She spread her wings and said, "Connect the portal to the cord, and let's be off! The longer we stay, the more danger we'll be in!" Kade nodded, scrambling upright and ducking down where the connection was. The metal joint didn't grow with the rest of the Portal, lying on the ground.

Kade quickly wove the strap into his belt loop, not wanting to have the Portal hanging off his wrist again. He then pulled on the Portal's length of cord, connecting it to the length he had. It immediately began to shrink, stating, " _Transport mode activated. Shrinking function initiated."_ The cord retracted, the Portal now hanging off his waist, glowing with its many colors.

Kade grinned, his face quickly falling as he saw the tornado drift closer toward them, and the funneling of the wind beginning to pull him towards it. He hopped on top of Sonic Boom, saying, "Let's get out of here!" Sonic Boom screeched, a shockwave of sound coming from her beak, and with a mighty gust, she rose into the air, leaving the ruins of Galewind Village behind them.

Kade grabbed hold of Sonic Boom's feathers, the fright of air travel still setting him off. Sonic Boom turned to him and said, "You did fairly well today, but it won't be this easy in the future. Kaos sent that tornado to get rid of Flynn and Hugo, and us with them. We must be on our guard, for the Darkness is beginning to spread everywhere, and wherever it is, Kaos can see us." She turned away, flapping once more. "The Ruins of Eon's Citadel lies not too far from here. While leaving Skylands, I saw Kaos drift away in his accursed castle, roaming Skylands for one thing, and one thing only: The Eternal Sources.

"The Eternal Sources are what remains of the Core of Light. It was originally crafted by the Ancients to repel The Darkness thousands of years ago, after they supposedly allowed it here. Due to its nature, it cannot be destroyed, but only separated, and the Eternal Sources and the components that hold them together were blasted to the distant parts of Skylands. With them, the Core of Light can be rebuilt, and The Darkness driven from this place once more."

She turned back to Kade and said, "That is our mission, to restore the Core of Light. I may not be able to help you any more after we reach the Ruins; that is unfortunately where our mission ends. I am so glad to have met you, Portal Master Kade." Kade, still overwhelmed by the new world, said nothing in reply, only sitting on the back of the great griffin. After a moment of silence, Sonic Boom turned back, saying, "So, how's life on Earth? I never heard of the place until Master Eon explained it to us Skylanders, so I wonder how it is. Do they have daycares?" The discussion continued, the orange sky shifting to dark purple as the day ended, the griffin and boy soaring toward Eon's Citadel.

 **Kaos Intermission:**

In the middle of the sky, Kaos' castle, which he affectionately calls Castle Blackthrone, hovered in the air, the dark master within contemplating his schemes. The vast hallways of the structure extended to many areas: The Hall of Torture, the Calamity Kitchen, the Bathroom of Doom, etc. His most prized room was the Chamber of Darkness, where he kept one of his most prized relics: His Portal of Power.

In the center of the room was the dark Portal, similar in design to Eon's but not quite so advanced. Eyes stared down from the columns of the room, the devilish images keeping watch all throughout his castle. The shutters lay shut, The Darkness in Skylands not enough to justify the ritual of opening them. The shutters lay opposite of the massive door, which lead to the hallway that connected his dark desires together.

Kaos stood on the rim of his beloved Portal, the surface glowing with crimson light. He tapped his fingers together thoughtfully, studying red-tinted sight within. He saw the black griffin soaring through the sky, with the young Earthling riding on top of her.

Kaos growled and cried out, "Glumshanks! Come here this instant!" From the massive wooden doors came a lanky troll, wearing nothing but pants and a worn brown vest. His ears drooped down and his eyes came to a sad expression. His teeth were rectangular, unlike his other troll relatives, and unlike other trolls he had three wisps of black hair on his head.

Glumshanks said, "Yes Lord Kaos? Are you needing another cup of tea?" Kaos groaned, pointing at the image in the Portal.

"You know that tornado I made that _you_ suggested?" He asked. Glumshanks came closer and peered into the Portal, leaning on the edge.

"You mean the tornado that you made and _I_ said wouldn't work?" He replied.

Kaos waved him off, saying, "No difference. Either way, _it didn't work!"_ He roared. He pointed to the corner and said, "Go to your Feel-Bad Corner! You know exactly why!" Glumshanks sighed, sitting on the creaky wooden chair.

He then looked to the ceiling and said, "'So I can feel even worse about myself than I already do.' Why didn't you name it something more, I dunno, evil-sounding?"

Kaos hopped off the Portal and said, "Irrelevant! I need to figure out where the Eternal Air Source is before that cursed Portal Master does. I don't know how Eon brought _him_ here, but I'll show him who's emperor of all Skylands! Hahahaha!" He threw his fists into the air, continuing to laugh wildly, his high-pitched voice reverberating throughout all of Castle Blackthrone.


	3. Perilous Pastures

Sonic Boom and Kade reached the Ruins of Eon's Citadel late into the night, the sky black with night. The remains of the domes and turrets were stone structures, skeletons of what they once were. Eon's tower was completely eradicated, and only the imprint of the dome surrounding the Core stood in front of it. There were docks that extended into a swamp, what remains of a vast sea, and hanging over the ruins was a black smog, suffocating those within. The earth was charred with black, and the trees stood knocked over and lifeless. The engines to the right side of the ruins stood still, their power lost, and light and heat were robbed from this land. The magical aura that once stood as chief protector of the Citadel was no more. Connected to all of this was a massive black chain, which extended far into the sky, farther than Kade could see.

Sonic Boom dove to the ground, looking around wistfully. Kade stepped off her back, coughing in the stale air. She looked around, seeing Flynn's balloon secured next to a rock. She moved towards it, guiding Kade alongside with her wings.

She lifted the rock, revealing a tunnel stretching below. "Let's go down; it's not safe for us to remain on the surface for long." She warned. Kade complied, hopping down the tunnel, sliding down. Sonic Boom followed, replacing the rock behind her.

They slid down the tunnel, reaching a vast underground cavern. Within were shelves of assorted sizes, all loaded with various books. In the center was a large circular table crowded with more books and a rectangular glowing stone. Stones of other colors hung from the ceiling, illuminating the cavern. Alcoves were spread throughout the cavern, some needing stairs to reach, others needing ladders, and some just needing a simply walkway. One lead to a simple kitchen, another a storeroom, and another lead to an empty cavern with a circular indentation in the ground, most likely intended for Kade's Portal. A window poked through the side of the main cavern, revealing the darkened night that dominated all Skylands.

Kade studied the room seeing neither Flynn nor Hugo. He called out, "Is anyone here?" From the kitchen, Flynn poked his head out, his mouth around a large roast beef sandwich. Hugo came from a hole in the floor, covered with dust.

Flynn took the sandwich from his mouth and said, "Well, 'bout time you got here! I was about to doze off myself before I had the craving for a midnight snack." He stuffed the sandwich into his mouth, chewing lovingly. He raised a finger, walking into the central cavern, saying with fullness, "Ya see, that's how it's done!"

Hugo scuttled out of the hole, hugging Kade around his legs. "Oh, thank goodness you made it back! I was beginning to worry!" He stepped away, pointing to the ceiling. "Ever since the Core was destroyed, the Citadel's never been the same. It used to be a beautiful place, with the Eternal Sources giving us endless water, clean air, all sorts of stuff!"

Flynn swallowed, sitting at one of the chairs next to the table. "Yeah, and I haven't gotten to have my beauty sleep yet! It's horrible!" He promptly fell asleep, snoring loudly.

Sonic Boom nodded, noticing the Portal's pulsing green light. The Portal began gave a ding, then announced, _"Mission complete. Returning *Sonic Boom* to interior."_ It detached from Kade's strap, hovering into the empty alcove. It expanded to full size, then waited for Sonic Boom to return.

The griffin turned to Kade, nodding. "Time for me to leave. Make sure you get the Core restored; I know you can do it with our help!" She exclaimed. She flapped into the air, then rushed into the Portal, disappearing into the viscous surface with a triumphant call. The Portal stopped pulsing, and returned to its ever-changing colors. waiting for its master's command.

Kade walked into the alcove, looking deep into the Portal's surface, rippling with magical energies. Hugo came alongside him, sighing with contentment. "I so love looking at the Portal of Power. There aren't too many of these in Skylands you know; most were destroyed when the Portal Masters disappeared." Kade turned to him, still wondering about the Portal Masters' disappearance.

He set it aside and asked, "So what next? We need to get the Air Source, right? Why don't we just go to wherever it is?" Hugo looked into the Portal sadly, setting a paw on the rim.

"It's not quite that simple. I'd activate the Far Viewer to look for it myself, but with the air the way it is, I just can't do that. We need someone with exploration knowledge, and I know just the Mabu: Cali!" Kade stared at him, bewildered by what he said.

"Mabu?" Kade asked.

Hugo chuckled to himself, saying, "Right, you wouldn't know. Outside of Chompies, Trolls, Greebles, Spell Punks-all the creatures that serve Kaos and The Darkness-there are us Mabu, who are the peaceful creatures of Skylands that the Skylanders help protect. There are a few other species in Skylands too, such as Gillmen, Molekin, treefolk, and elves. We live in quite a place, right?" Kade nodded, still having to get used to his new home.

Hugo cleared his throat, saying, "Anyways, Cali explores all over Skylands, and she knows how to protect herself. She was here when we got attacked, but she went over to Perilous Pastures to do some research and hasn't come back yet. She'll surely know where the Eternal Air Source went."

Kade leaned against the Portal, saying, "When should we leave then? We want to get the Air Source sooner rather than later, right?" Hugo nodded, walking out of the room.

"Right, so I'd suggest leaving as soon as you can. How about you choose a Skylander that can fly you there; it'll save us the hassle of waking up Flynn." Hugo replied. Flynn snorted, languidly sleeping on his chair, then began to move, his arms going into a macho pose.

Drowsily, he mumbled, "I'm Captain Flynn...the most awesome, handsome, and charming pilot...in all Skylands...boom..." He fell to the floor, continuing to snore.

Kade grimaced, hoping that he wouldn't have to be with Flynn more than necessary. He turned back to the Portal, tapping its surface. It rippled, sending a shock of light-blue light across the room. Kade then said, "I want to select a Skylander."

The Portal flashed red, saying, _"Command ignored. Commands must begin or end with the word 'please' in order to be acknowledged._ " Kade shook his head in bafflement.

"Why, of all things, do you need that?" Kade asked.

 _"Eon wished to see etiquette developed in the next Portal Master. Next command ready."_ The Portal replied. Kade groaned in irritation, wishing that Eon didn't put restriction like this in place. He could have all the Skylanders at once fighting Kaos, but _no_ , he had to have one at a time. At least they were strong.

Kade said after some mulling, "I want to select a Skylander... _please_." The Portal glowed light-blue, showing the holograms of the titan, dragon, turtle, and Sonic Boom. The last was faded, indicating that she had been summoned.

 _"Request acknowledged with etiquette. Note: Sonic Boom has been summoned; Sonic Boom can no longer be summoned until Kaos is defeated. Please select another Skylander of the Air Element."_ Kade thought of who would be the best Skylander for this assignment. The titan looked strong and beefy, and he could undoubtedly float for a while in the air. The thought of sitting in his arms or grabbing onto his shoulders caused him to shiver, and he quickly dismissed the idea of him. The next was the spined turtle, and while he looked cool, he wasn't sure how he could fly with the turtle. The unicorn dragon was the only choice for comfortable flight.

He waved a hand over the dragon, and the holograms faded. The Portal glowed with the fierce blue light once more, and the swirl of the Air Element appeared over the Portal. The Portal flashed with bright light, and it boomed with sound, bringing forth the new Skylander.

 **"Twists of Fury!"**

Flynn 's eyes flashed open, and he stood up in a frenzy, looking around. "Who said that! I was having a wonderful dream of sandwiches and sheep all curled up into...a...ball..." He promptly fell asleep again, enjoying his curious dream of sheep and sandwiches.

Standing on the portal was the bright blue dragon, complete with unicorn horn, furry tail, and azure eyes. She breathed in and out quickly, as if expecting some sort of attack at any time, and all around her, clouds wisped, as if they obeyed her every whim.

She hopped off the Portal and drew close to Kade, saying, "You must be the new Portal Master, right?" Kade nodded, tempted to pet the dragon.

She padded up the stairs, leaving wisps of cloud behind her. "My name's Whirlwind. What's the mission?"

Kade connected the portal to the leather strap, following Whirlwind up the stairs. "Aren't you going to ask for my name first?" Whirlwind turned to him, her horn glowing slightly.

"I heard Sonic Boom say your name is Kade, so there's no need. Us Skylanders can keep in touch with each other inside the Portal, so that we don't need a recap on what's happened out here. Now, I'll ask again: What's the mission?"

Kade, feeling out of the loop as usual, replied, "Accroding to Hugo, we need to find Cali in the Perilous Pastures. She apparently went searching for something there, and hasn't come back."

Whirlwind nodded, turning away and heading toward the exit ladder. "We better get going then. With Skylands the way it is right now, she could be in a lot of trouble." She looked up into the tunnel where the ladder was, and flapped upward, leaving a draft in her wake. Kade followed on the ladder, somewhat annoyed by Whirlwind's direct approach.

Flynn snorted, then wiped his nose, looking side to side languidly. "Alright guys, I'm ready to go! A power nap is exactly what us heroes need!" His face drooped as he heard no one reply. "Guys?"

Kade hopped aboard Whirlwind's back, the soft fur cushioning his rear. The clouds around Whirlwind kept the air somewhat clean compared to what lay around it, making the atmosphere far more bearable.

His hand hovered near Whirlwind's neck, and Whirlwind gave him a warning glare. "Touch me and you receive a rainbow to the face." Kade was about to ask what she meant by that until he was interrupted by the whoosh of Whirlwind's takeoff, leaving the dilapidated ruins behind as they ventured toward the Perilous Pastures.

He looked back, and deciding that his previous question was not the best one to ask, said, "Why exactly is the Citadel like this? I mean, that Hydra only hit the Core, right?" Whirlwind kept her head straight, flapping her wings steadily.

"When the Eternal Sources left the Citadel, the magic that they brought was taken too. Without the Sources, the Ruins become inhospitable, with no good earth, air or water, no heat, no life, and no spark to run the machines. Everything that made up this Citadel was taken, all because of Kaos." They stayed silent, the darkened sky surrounding them entirely with silence.

Kade went to ask again, but Whirlwind said, "No, I will not say anything about myself. If you want to know, feel free to read it from the Portal. The Skypedia function is the button to the right of the Transport function." Kade did as she said, and found in the glowing center of the Portal a series of icons, such as a dragon's head, a scroll, a tooth-filled creature, and a sheet of paper. Underneath them was a series of characters he couldn't read.

"I can't read any of this! It's in some other language!" He cried. Whirlwind looked back and studied the Portal, laughing.

"It's Skylandian, Kade! Of course you can't read it!" She exclaimed. She tapped the icon in the center, a swirling character that wrapped around the others.

The icon glowed, and the Portal said, _"Language selected. State the language you would like Skypedia to display."_

Kade replied, "English, please." The characters misted over, and the strange characters were replaced by the familiar alphabet of Earth, the words underneath the icons now readable. The dragon's head said 'Skylanders', the scroll 'History', the toothy animal 'Creatures', and the paper 'Instructions'.

Whirlwind pointed to the 'Instructions' icon with her horn, saying after, "I'd recommend going there too. Eon wrote that for the next Portal Master to learn how to use the Portal after he was gone. With his help, I'm sure you'll be fine." Kade couldn't help but agree, and he tapped the instructions, wondering what else this Portal could do.

Hours later, they approached a large series of islands, all with worn-down barns, fences, and dozens of sheep. Occasionally, a stone outpost emerged, a watchtower of sorts, to keep watch for whatever may be there. The sky, a deep purple, was lit by the dozens of tiny lights below, allowing Kade and Whirlwind to see what lay below.

One creature was a round, green thing with dozens of sharp pointy teeth, and two stalks attached at the top, with two beady black eyes. The arms lay flat against its sides, and the stubby little legs gave it a waddle as it chomped its way around.

Kade, deciding against asking Whirlwind, tapped the Creatures icon, and found a slew of translucent tiles, all picturing some sort of creature in Skylands. It even showed Flynn and Hugo as separate tiles, making them seem more important than the rest.

He scrolled through it, finding a duplicate picture of the tooth creature. He tapped it, and it expanded, showing the picture with several paragraphs of text.

The Portal then said, _"Chompy. Class I enemy. Weak to any weaponry. Regarded as some of the least intelligent creatures in Skylands. They propagate through Chompy Pods, and are known to be a pesky creature with its sharp teeth. Records say that one invented balloon travel by drinking 200 hundred flasks if fizzy juice, then using the resulting gas to propel themselves in the air, inflated at least three times its size."_

Kade made a wry face. "Is that really true Whirlwind?" She nodded.

"Yep, as unlikely as it seems. I wish I was there to see it." Whirlwind replied, longing in her voice. She looked below as a massive bonfire came into view, the sparks rising high into the night sky. Around it, green elf-like creatures surrounded it, raising lances above their heads.

Kade searched for the creature and found it named as 'Drow', and found a series of other tiles that linked to it. He tapped the Drow holding a lance, and received another page of text. _"Drow Lancemaster. Class II enemy. Weak to most weapons, although they have an advantage against melee weaponry due to their lances. Related to the elves, but unlike them, Drow turned away from the art of cultivating life and chose to serve The Darkness, wielding weapons of war rather than tools of care."_

Whirlwind snorted, saying, "Skypedia's never wrong. These pastures are crawling with them, what's left of their farming village before they turned to serve Kaos. Why would Cali want to come _here?_ "

Kade looked below and gasped, pointing down. "Look, there's somebody in that cage!" Heavy iron bars enclosed around a cat-like Mabu, who stood folding her gloved hands, her eyes shifting to the left and right as she did so. She stood outside of the ring of Drow, the celebrating dark elves taking no notice of her.

Whirlwind looked in the Mabu's direction, saying, "That's Cali alright. It looks like she was captured by those bozos, so we better go down and release her!" Kade stared at the sharp-ended lances of the Drow, gulping.

"Can you drop me off somewhere…safer, I guess? I still haven't really figured out if the Portal can give me anything to fight with." Kade asked. Whirlwind groaned, landing on an islet near the bonfire the Drow surrounded.

Kade slid off her back, and Whirlwind immediately swooped back into the sky. She wove between the various islands that hung overhead, then, unexpectedly, swooped below and called, "Eat cloud, Drow!" A wall of cloud descended from Whirlwind's wings onto the quickly-hushed Drow, bringing with it a crackling current of lightning, electrifying a large part of that Drow crowd.

Whirlwind swerved around and dove lower, eyeing the jabbing tips of the Lance Masters. Her horn glowed white, and from it a rainbow arc coursed through the air, landing on a Drow's head. It exploded in multi-colored rays, sending the Drow flying through the air, over the edge of the island.

She dealt with the rest of the Drow the same way, leaving paralyzed bodies in her wake. She flew back to Kade, and upon landing on her back she said, "Yes, I shoot rainbows, the dream of every Mabu girl. Believe me, I'd rather be cooler than that, like, lightning or something." She cocked her head and said, "But rainbows are still cool." She took Kade and flew to Cali's cage, where the Mabu tapped her foot impatiently."

She pointed to one of the unconscious Drow and said, "That's the one with the key. I was waiting for him to come around while they were dancing, but then you showed up. I guess that saved me the trouble of trying to sneak away." She studied Kade as he grabbed the key from the Drow's belt, running back to Cali and inserting it into the keyhole.

After releasing her, Cali said to Kade, "So, you're the new Portal Master? Nice to see that Eon found somebody." She furrowed her brow, holding her hand over Kade's head. "Although, I was expecting somebody a _little_ taller. But anyway, what's your name?"

Kade, suddenly feeling self-conscious about his height, said, "My name's Kade, and I'm only in middle school. I haven't grown all the way yet, so can you not make a point about that?" Cali nodded, smiling.

"I'll keep that in mind, Portal Master Kade." She turned to Whirlwind and said, "Now, I'm sure you're wondering, how did I get caught? Well, I'll tell you on the way back to the Citadel, but before we go, I want to show you why I came here." She reached behind her and pulled out a deep blue orb, which sparkled in the fading bonfire's light.

Whirlwind drew closer, inspecting it. "What exactly is that? Some sort of crystal ball?"

"More like a magical battery. I needed to find something to power the Far Viewer after the Magic Source got sent away, so that we could use it to find out where the Eternal Sources and the other pieces of the Core are." She breathed over the orb and polished it, cleaning its surface. "It was risky, since the Drow consider this sacred, but we need it." She kicked at a moaning Drow, silencing him. "We better get going unless we want to be shish kebabs. I'm not ready for that fate just yet."


End file.
